If you’ve ever picked up the phone, heard a voice on the other end claim your fully paid-off car was going to repossessed, or your Social Security number has been “suspended,” and felt your stomach drop, you’re not alone. Scam attempts have gotten so sophisticated that even the most financially, and technologically, savvy among us occasionally think, “Wait… should I be worried?”
The good news? When something doesn’t feel right, there’s a simple, effective step you can take right away: freezing your credit.
When a Credit Freeze is in place, it restricts access to your credit report so no one - scammers included - can open new accounts in your name. It doesn’t affect your credit score, it doesn’t lock you out of your current accounts, and you can temporarily lift or remove it whenever you need to apply for new credit. Think of it like putting a lock on your front door: you can come and go freely, but it keeps unwanted visitors out. More importantly, anyone can do it - for free.
Like anything these days, you have a few different options on how to freeze your credit, though the end result is still the same, you'll need to contact each credit bureau individually - Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.
While you certainly could choose to send them something in the mail, the fastest option is to do it online or by calling them directly. In either case, just be prepared to provide some financial documents and personal information, such as:
- Full Name
- Date of Birth
- Addresses used in the past 2-5 years
- Social Security Number
- Government-issued ID card or driver's license
Experian
Online at https://www.experian.com/help/credit-freeze/
888-397-3742
Experian Security Freeze
PO Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion
Online at https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze
800-916-8800
TransUnion
PO Box 160
Woodlyn, PA 19094
Equifax
Online at https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/
888-298-0045
Equifax Information Services LLC
PO Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348
Of course, freezing your credit is only one layer of defense. If you’d prefer something that keeps watch long after you’ve hung up on the scammer, we offer our clients access to Carefull, a monitoring tool that tracks unusual activity and helps prevent small issues from turning into big ones.
The bonus? It comes with up to $1 million in identity-theft insurance built in.
If you’re interested in how this works for our clients—or whether it makes sense for you—feel free to reach out anytime.